Skipping Stones
by OnBladedWings
Summary: Just because you've done bad things in the past doesn't mean you can't have a brighter future, does it? As a reformed Jinx begins to understand this, can she help a certain blond high-school student see it too?
1. Prologue

Skipping Stones

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(A/N: Takes place post "Things Change", for the most part. I happen to be a firm believer in the idea Jinx's power is closer to psionics then sorcery, and the way several characters use their powers will also be altered to how I see them, and may not fit cookie-cutter with everyone else's ideas. Anywho, I'll shut up now hehe. Don't own anything but my premise, yadda yadda yadda... I just wish I did.)

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Prologue

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Purple-black platform shoes softly echoed down the alleyways as their owner slowly made her way down a familiar path. She didn't have any particular destination in mind, she simply needed time to think. The scent of the rose in her hand made her mind slip back to the boy that had given it to her.

"_There's something about you that's... different._"

Understatement of the year. Her uniqueness was something she took pride in, flaunted even. Somehow, though, she knew that's not what he had been referring to. What was it he had seen, if indeed he _had_ seen anything? He could have just been messing with her head.

"_I think you can do better_."

Now _THAT_ she understood, to a degree. As much fun as she had running heists with her friends, they had a horrible tendency to... well... suck. As long as everything went perfect to the plan, they were fine... but when anything unexpected happened *cough* Titans *cough* everything fell apart like a house of cards in a windstorm. It would be nice to work with people who actually knew what they were doing... even if it meant an honest job.

"_... Can I get some mustard? This looks a little dry._"

The pale teen stopped and scoffed, tossing the flower in her hand aside. Okay, the kid had been an idiot... but what he had said _did_ seem to make sense. What if she was playing for the wrong team? True, her powers didn't seem the type to help anyone... bad luck was bad luck. Would anyone really want to take her in?

Sighing and looking up, she realized where her feet had taken her. Standing at the edge of the pier, she looked out across the water at the large tower shaped like a giant T. She shook her head, a frown spreading across her lips. '_Who am I kidding... the things I've done? The people I've associated with? No one is gonna take me in... except maybe to the station.'_ she thought sadly to herself.

Turning again, she let her feet guide her once more as her cluttered mind sifted through her options. Where could she go? She had seen what the brotherhood was really like, that wasn't she wanted to become. She couldn't go back to the H.I.V.E, there was nothing to go back to. She couldn't really see herself finding a place on the right side of the law, though, she was just to... impulsive.

'_I could always go solo..._' she mused, shoulders falling just a bit. She could pick her own targets, call her own shots... by herself... alone...

The pink haired teen sighed again, for what seemed like the fiftieth time that night. The cool night air kissed her skin as she felt a breeze blow past her. The sound of the trees rustling around her told her she had wandered into the park that spanned the center of Jump, and for the first time since she had started walking she smiled. The teen loved walking in the park at night, especially with such a delicious breeze.

Forgoing the path that lead to other sections of the park, she wandered into the trees to explore, to make her own path. For several minutes she let her mind quiet, letting go of her worries... until she tripped over a rock, landing face first in front of a downward tunnel.

Pushing herself into a sitting position, she winced and gripped her knee. A rip in her right stocking showed a line of red beginning to form across her pale skin. Her eyes flicked back up to the mouth of the small tunnel, feeling her feline curiousity slowly taking over her better judgement. '_I didn't think there were any caves in the park... where does this go?_' she wondered. Letting it get the better of her, she decided to push her luck and see what it had in store for her.

* * *

Well, there it is. The first chapter is already on its way and I have a general plot in mind, but I still appreciate any and all feedback! I'm notorious for starting stories and never finishing them when I burn out of ideas, so everything helps! This will be a Jinx/Terra story, with a possibility of a bump up to the M rating later on.

If I start slipping into OC-ness, give me a prod will you? I try to keep the characters as close to themselves as I can, but if you notice something blatant that I missed, feel free to smack me =]


	2. It starts with a handshake

Disclaimer: I own nothing but the premise. I just wish I owned Jinx =P

A/N: I've got so many ideas for this story, but I'm already starting to slip and lose focus in favor of my other project. But I refuse to give up! Rawr!

* * *

As the bell signaling the end of second period rang, Tara sighed in relief. Slipping her math text into her shoulder bag, she stood and made her way out into the throngs of students heading for their lockers. Upon reaching hers, she traded her book bag for her lunch bag and headed out to the courtyard.

"Tara!" a red headed girl with freckles called to her, waving from her spot by the big oak tree.

"Hey Sam." Tara smiled at her friend as she sat down next to her, pulling out her sandwich. "How's Melonie doing?"

"She's still sick, she probably won't be back until next week at this rate." Sam said, taking a drink out of her thermos. "I was going to go see her after school, want to come? She would _love_ the company." She grinned at the blond, but Tara could see it was forced.

"No, I've got something I want to do tonight, maybe tomorrow." Tara evaded. She and Mel had had a fight, and Sam's tone had told her their friend was still angry. Sam was just trying to be polite like she always was. Leaning back against the trunk of the tree, the blond teen watched the clouds pass by.

Noting the distant look on her friend's face, Sam didn't push for info. She recognized that look, the one Tara always wore when she was thinking about something she didn't really want to. She recognized it because she had been seeing it more and more as the school year progressed. The red head was beginning to worry about her friend, but she knew Tara was smart enough to understand that if she needed someone to talk to, Sam would always be there to listen.

In truth, the blond was restless. She had never spent so long in one place before, and she wanted to see new places... not to mention the fact that the longer she spent in Jump the better the chance that some day she was going to stumble across the Titans again. Beast Boy already suspected she remembered more than she claimed... which she did. Her stone slumber hadn't erased her memory, she just didn't want to remember. She wanted a fresh start, and had thought school would give her that.

It had, in a way, but it could not sate her appetite for adventure. It couldn't give her the excitement exploring hidden ruins in the amazon could, or the adrenaline rush jumping off the grand canyon did. School was to... safe. Boring. She had made a few friends sure, but she couldn't help but compare this new life with a cage. She honestly didn't understand how everyone else could stand it.

The pair finished their lunches in silence before heading back inside to wait for the third period bell. It rang at 12:21 PM, just like it had the day before, and the day before that... just like it was going to tomorrow and the day after that.

'_Every day is exactly the same_.' she sighed inwardly. If she couldn't find something interesting to do, she was going to go insane.

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The sun was setting as Tara made her way towards the park. She followed the paved path for several minutes before turning off into the trees. Approaching the crevice leading down into the earth, she reached into her bag for the small flashlight and slowly began her descent. Distracted by her own thoughts, the blond didn't realize she had arrived at her destination until she stood within the center of the large cavern.

Setting her bag down, she sat cross-legged and pulled out her homework, feeling a familiar calm wash over her. It wasn't the memories that brought her here as often as she came, but the peace. For almost two years she had been one with the earth here, and the feeling of being so deep within it again always made her feel better. Like coming home after a long trip away.

So content was she, in fact, that it took her several minutes to realize she wasn't alone.

Setting her textbook on the ground, Tara's eyes flicked around the cave. She could hear quiet breathing, but the echos made it hard to tell where from. "Hello?" she called, and stood when she received no reply. Looking around her, there were plenty of places to hide. Chunks of rock jutting from the ground, ledges and dips in the stone... gripping her flashlight she tiptoed around the edge of the cavern.

When the beam of light fell on a patch of bright pink Tara nearly dropped the metal object, her breath catching in her throat. Careful not to shine the light directly at it, she stepped around the side of the rock and was rather surprised to find a girl. She looked a bit older than Tara, her hair a tad longer than shoulder length and a shade of bright pink, her clothes a deep purple and black blouse and skirt. She was hugging her knees to her chest and leaning against the rock as she slept, and Tara couldn't help but giggle at how much she reminded her of a sleeping cat, all curled up like that.

The pink haired girl murmured softly in her sleep, one hand sliding up to rub at her face. She seemed so familiar, but she didn't know where from. Tara sat back against the wall, facing the girl. '_I wonder why she's down here, of all places_.' the blond thought to herself. '_Maybe she can feel the calm too_.' Smiling softly, Tara let her eyes drift shut as well. "Maybe a cat-nap wouldn't be so bad after all." she muttered.

A soft laugh made her head snap up, looking at the other girl. The pink haired teen had one eye open, looking her over. The blond could do nothing but stare, she had never seen eye's quite like hers. The laugh was repeated.

"Have I got something on my face?" the girl said smiling a cheshire grin. Tara's throat felt like it had closed off. Realizing the girl was expecting an answer, she dumbly shook her head. She could feel the heat rising in her cheeks. '_Snap out of it Tara, you're making a fool out of yourself!_' she mentally berated herself. Why was she suddenly acting like a headless chicken?

The girl stood up and stretched, her hair seemingly pushing itself up and back into her trademark horns. It was one fluid motion that only seemed to reaffirm Tara's earlier line of thought. Definitely a cat. The blond slowly stood, brushing the dirt off her skirt and looked up, gasping as she saw the girl's face inches from hers. '_I didn't even hear her move!_'

The older teen seemed to contemplate her for a moment before stepping back. She extended her hand, her cheshire grin fading to a softer, more honest smile. "You haven't started running for your life, so you can't be all that bad. I'm Jinx."

Tara took the offered hand gingerly. "Why would I run?" she asked, before suddenly realizing why the girl was so familiar.

'_H.I.V.E Five hits Egyptian exhibit at Jump City museum!_'

That's what last week's headline in the paper was, along with a picture of the... errm... _six _members. The pink haired teen must have noticed the look on her face.

"Yeah, that's me." she used her free hand to cover her mouth to stop from laughing. Tara gulped, noting her hand was still in Jinx's. "Well?" the taller girl's head tilted curiously.

"Err... Tara." the blond said, trying not to look as nervous as she felt. Jinx seemed nice enough, if a bit odd, but she was still one of Jump's most well known villains.

"Well, err-Tara, it's so nice to meet you." Jinx shook the blonde's hand vigorously before letting go. Her head tilted to the other side, one finger resting on her lip in thought. "Umm... You seem familiar, have I threatened you before?"

Tara's heart skipped a beat, praying to whatever divine influence was listening that Jinx didn't recognize her. Though the Titans had never been called to battle the Hive-Five during her stay with them, Tara _had_ spent three days almost leveling the city under Slade's command. She slowly shook her head, eyes flicking up to Jinx's.

"Hmm... must be imagining it then. Well, time for me to get up and get out for a bit. I'll see you around, cutie." Jinx batted her eye lashes as she backed away before turning and walking out of the cavern. For several minutes Tara stared at the entrance of the tunnel before realizing what she was doing.

'_What just happened? Why was it I couldn't put two words together? Why did she call me a cutie? And why, for the love of all that is bright and sunny, is my face as red as a cherry?_'

* * *

There we have it! Introductions are made. Jinx is strange, Terra is shy, and all is right in the world. Next chapter will take a little longer before it's posted then this one, seeing as how this one was half written when I started.


	3. Then there's some coffee

A year and a half later and here I am, staring at this fic when I remember how much I love this pairing. Spanking the plot bunnies into action, I have decided to go back into gear on this fic. More to come soon, keep your fingers crossed!

* * *

Jinx easily scaled the wall in front of her, leaping from the top to the roof of the small building behind it. Then, at the most crucial part of her plan, her concentration wavered. Images of the cute girl she had met last night flitted about her thoughts uncontested.

Until the sirens went off. She had been spotted.

Stomping her foot, she jumped and slid back down the wall, turning to storm off down the ally when a yellow-red blur stopped in front of her, smiling. "That's three times you've been spotted today. Something on your mind?" Kid Flash asked, his voice laced with concern, but more so with amusement.

Jinx sighed, sliding to sit with her back to the ally wall. "You could say that. It's been a funny couple of days, you know?" She peeked one eye up at him to gauge his reaction, and she didn't like what she saw. The cocky, self-confident grin plastered on his face told her exactly what was on his mind, that he thought _he_ was the distraction that was messing with her day.

A brick that had been coming loose from its mortar over the past year just _happened_ to choose that particular moment to fall… right onto Kid Flash's head.

When Jinx was confident he was really unconscious she set out again, deciding to give up on the criminal thing… at least for today. It's not like she was having any luck with it anyway. Making her way back to the empty apartment she had been using, she mentally ran through her funds. No longer having access to H.I.V.E. resources meant she would have to rely on the cash she had stashed in hide-aways around the city. Which really hadn't been much to begin with, mostly just cases with a couple hundred dollars each. Unfortunately, she would need to buy new clothes, a place to live, and food for herself.

With the realization of how expensive living really was, Jinx began to question her motives for leaving everything behind. "One step at a time, girl…" she muttered to herself, deciding to go relax at her favourite coffee shop for a bit, maybe grab a bite to eat before she tried to make any more permanent decisions.

* * *

When the school bell rang that day at 3:30, Tara was more than a little disappointed. She had no real parents in Jump, and the owner of the apartment she had been using would figure out sooner or later that someone was using it to wash up each night.

Depressed, she declined Sam's offer to hit the library. Wandering down downtown Jump, she wondered if maybe it was time to move on again. This sedimentary life wasn't for her, she needed to get away… even if only for awhile.

It was along this line of thought she immersed in when Tara walked right into someone. Someone with long bubble-gum pink hair. The blonde immediately ran her mouth through a slew of apologies, blushing furiously for not paying attention to where she had been going.

Jinx couldn't help but laugh, taking the stammering blonde's hand and guiding her into the coffee-shop she had been about to enter. Tara didn't realize what was going on at first, until after the older girl had placed her own order and turned to ask her if she wanted something. Blue eyes met pink, and memories from last night clicked into place. She couldn't believe how different Jinx looked out of costume, she was gorgeous.

_Wait, gorgeous? Did I really just think that? _

"Miss, are you going to get something or not?" the cashier asked impatiently, and only then did Tara remember where she was. Everyone in line behind her was staring, as was the woman behind the counter. Jinx could barely hold her giggles in check.

"I, uhh… I'll have… just some juice please." She finally managed to stammer out. Jinx put some money on the counter and grabbed her coffee and the muffin she had ordered, and went to sit down at one of the comfy leather chairs tucked away in the back by the bookcases. Tara grabbed the bottle she had been handed and quickly moved to follow, still quite red in the face. Why was she even here? She was simply minding her own business and then out of the blue…

"Sorry if I embarrassed you, but the look on your face was adorable." Jinx said with an almost predatory grin. The pink-haired teen had her hair loose, spilling down her shoulders beautifully. Along with the black belly-shirt and jeans, she looked almost like a completely different person.

"It's no big deal, I guess. Thanks for the juice." _There we go, act normal, don't think about how cute she is in that shirt, or how she… dammit. _

"Like what you see?" Jinx asked playfully when she noticed the girl was still staring at her. Despite her playful attitude, however, Jinx was battling fiercely within her own head about why the answer to that question was suddenly so important to her. About why her heart had soared when she had seen Tara walking down the street toward her with her head in the clouds. About why she had '_accidentally_' bumped into the girl just to feel some contact with her.

At nearly the exact same moment, both of the teens noted that it was more than a little strange how fast this strange attraction was pulling them together.

Jinx was the first to break the suddenly very awkward silence. "So, uh… how's school?" she said, gesturing lamely toward Tara's backpack. The blonde, more than happy to oblidge the sudden topic change, nodded softly.

"It's good, umm… boring, but I guess school is supposed to be, right?" Tara murmured, still a little nervous even though she couldn't understand why. She had always believed herself the pillar of self-confidence… aside from matters concerning her powers, anyway.

"I suppose so. Mine got blown up a couple times, so I haven't been there in a while. Might have to go back, though. Not sure I can afford to live out here on my own." Jinx said, smiling softly. Maybe if she could bounce some ideas off her new friend, she'd get an answer she hadn't thought of on her own.

Tara snorted. "Tell me about it. I've been here a couple months and I can tell you trying to find a decently priced apartment is ridiculous." She laughed softly, relaxing a little easier the more she spoke. Like they were old friends catching up.

"Jinx tilted her head curiously, an idea springing into her head unbidden. "So… you're between homes?" she asked, trying to keep her mischievous grin off her face for fear of scaring the girl in front of her.

Tara hesitated for a moment, but nodded. "My parents are… well, not here." She confided.

Jinx rubbed her hands together, smiling. "Well, we could maybe manage a place if we pooled our resources. Whadda'ya say?" She tried not to get her hopes up to high, but it just seemed like the perfect idea. Tara, on the other hand, was a little perturbed.

"…We just met yesterday. We barely know anything about each other. In fact, all I know is your name, and the fact that you're a rather well known criminal… and you want to move in together?"

Jinx grinned her Cheshire grin and rather sarcastically replied. "I also cook."

* * *

On a quiet rooftop across the street, the cloaked figure smiled beneath their mask. To close, they had almost pushed the girls to fast. The friendship had to come naturally or they would suspect.

It was a small matter.

Tenebrae was patient.


End file.
